Words: Michael Barry, Painting: Mike Rosen, Photograph: Walter Lai
This black, cream and white oil painting of Eddy Merckx and Felice Gimondi hung above me for decades – first on the main level of my parents’ home and then in my room. It shows the two riders over their handlebars and is three times scale. It was painted by a graphic designer and cycling club mate of my parents, who was also a family friend, and he gave it to them before I was born as a house warming gift.
The painting depicts a world that was once foreign to me and then became familiar. In my mind, the riders evolved from icons to humans. Over time, as I grew and matured, the image has inspired and haunted me.
Read “A Foreign World” by Michael Barry in Soigneur Cycling Journal 18, available to purchase in the Mariposa workshop and in our webstore.
The 210 pages of Soigneur Cycling Journal 18 are filled with photos and stories by renowned photographers and writers.
The galleries in #18 give a wide view of what is happening in the world of cycling. From the USA & Canada to Romania. From pro to amateur.
Purchase here.
